WHAT CAN I DO WITH A MAJOR IN...

HISTORYwww.sc.edu/career

his·to·ry

1. A usually chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events.

a) A formal written account of related natural phenomena.

2. The branch of knowledge that records and analyzes past events.*

*"history." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 29 Jul. 2009. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/history>.

History Majors

• Study change; cause and effect • Follow trends to predict the future• Read critically and extract relevant data• Learn to preserve and understand the

significance of past events• Document findings/conclusions and

present them clearly, through speech or writing ...And more

History

• A bachelor’s degree in history leads to many jobs which require a liberal arts degree and is excellent preparation for further education in: law, urban planning, archeology, politics, or public administration.

• A bachelor’s degree alone in history is not sufficient preparation for work as a historian or for teaching and research in a college or university setting. An advanced degree is needed for both.

History At The University Of South Carolina

Undergraduate Options

Degrees: Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Majors: History

Minors: History

History At The University Of South Carolina

Graduate Degrees• Master of Arts (MA) in History• Master of Arts (MA) in Public History

• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)• In Social Studies with Geography option.• Prepares and certifies students for teaching in public

high schools.

• Interdisciplinary Master of Arts (IMA)• In Social Studies with Geography option.• For students who already have a teaching certificate.

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in History

Employment Settings

Students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in history largely specialize and work in the following areas:

• Business & Industry• Communication and Journalism• Education• Government and Politics• Libraries and Archives

Business and Industry

• Work in almost any not yet mentioned profit driven market with the focus on the procurement, sale, trade, or manufacture of resources, goods, services, of information.

• Can prepare one to work in a wide variety of areas including, construction, banking, real estate, tourism, transportation, technology, research, manufacturing, sales, farming, and energy.

Sample Occupational Titles Associated With Business And

Industry

• Account Manager • Broker• Community Relations

Director• Consumer Advocate• Contractor• Financial Manager• Insurance Agent• Investment Specialist

• Market Research Analyst

• Media Relations Specialist

• Production Manager• Real Estate Broker• Research Director• Sales Representative• Travel/Tourism Director• Urban Planner

Communication & Journalism

• The collection, organization, and distribution of information, both fact and fiction, to a mass audience.

• Can prepare one for work in broadcast or print journalism, radio and television work, publishing, editing, or to become a writer and researcher. Increasingly, work can be found using the Internet and other technology.

Sample Occupational Titles Associated With

Communication & Journalism

• Advertising Specialist• Biographer• Communications

Director• Copy Writer• Editor• Foreign News

Correspondent• Historical Novelist

• Literary Agent • Opinion Columnist • Press Secretary• Publisher• Radio/TV Broadcaster• Reference Researcher• Reporter• Speech Writer• Technical Writer

Education

• Formal and/or informal instruction of students in history or a general course of study, as well as the support and research functions that serve the discipline.

• Can prepare one for work as a teacher in primary, elementary, and secondary education with the proper certification. Can also serve as preparation for work in administration or curriculum development.

Sample Occupational Titles Associated With Education

• Administrator• Admissions

Representative• Author/Writer• Curriculum Developer• Lecturer• Performance Coach• Primary School Teacher

• Program Specialist • Reference Librarian• Research Foundation

Director• Secondary School

History/Social Studies Teacher

• Special Education Instructor

• Text Book Author• Training Specialist

Government & Politics

• The development, implementation, and enforcement of policies and law on the local, state, and national level as well as the support aspects associated with budgets, services, defense, infrastructure, etc.

• Can prepare one for work in all levels of management, leadership, financial development, policy analysis, and civil service.

Sample Occupational Titles Associated With Government

& Politics• Administrative Historian• Campaign Director• Census Bureau Agent• Civil Service Agent • Community Relations

Director• Communications Director• Congressional Aide• Elected Official• Foreign Service Officer • FBI/CIA Agent

• Housing & Community Developer

• Lobbyist• Paralegal• Police Officer• Policy Analyst• Political Strategist• Public Interest Group

Director• Speech Writer• Social Services Worker• Transportation Director

Libraries And Archives

• Making sense of the past and how it relates to today’s world by researching, preserving, documenting, and sharing material artifacts.

• Can prepare one for work in a museum or archives as a curator, preservationist, researcher, or display technician. Can also prepare one for work in libraries as a research, reference, or special collections specialist.

Sample Occupational Titles Associated With Libraries

And Archives

• Archivist• Biographer• Collections Coordinator• Artifact Conservator• Curator• Curriculum Developer• Grant Writer

• Historic Preservation Specialist

• Museum Technician• Preservationist• Program Director• Reference Librarian• Research Assistant• Special Collections

Librarian

History Majors Develop Skills In

• Making use of past experiences in reaching current decisions

• Following trends to predict shifts in political views or consumer tastes

• Reading rapidly and extracting relevant data

• Monitoring profit cycles and changes in government policies to provide up-to-date business information

• Interviewing for desired information

• Documenting a conclusion and presenting it clearly, in speech or writing

Distribution Of Employed Persons With A Bachelor’s Degree In

History, By Sector

Source: Fogg, N.P, Harrington, P.E. & Harrington, T.F, (2004). College Majors Handbook (2nd ed). Indianapolis, IN: Jist Publishing.

Government/ Military, 15%

Self-Employed, 13%

Education, 21%

Non-Profit, 5%

Private-for-profit, 46%

TOP 10 Occupations That Employ Persons With Only A Bachelor’s

Degree In History 1 Top and mid-level managers, executives 2 Teachers, secondary 3 Sales (including retail) 4 Insurance, securities, real estate, business services 5 Other management-related occupations 6 Broadcasters, writers, editors, public relations

specialists 7 Other administrative (i.e. record clerks) 8 Teachers, elementary 9 Accountants, auditors and other financial specialists10 Other marketing and sales occupations

Source: Fogg, N.P, Harrington, P.E. & Harrington, T.F, (2004). College Majors Handbook (2nd ed). Indianapolis, IN: Jist Publishing.

Strategies For Developing Skills To Get The Job You

Want• Demonstrate a superior

academic record• Get relevant experience

in student government or intern in a government agency

• Become familiar with hiring trends and practices

• Volunteer with a public interest group

• Acquire a minor, cognate, or another major

• Get experience as a tutor, camp counselor, or after school teacher

• Solicit strong personal recommendations

Strategies For Developing Skills To Get The Job You Want

• Become familiar with computer database systems and word processing

• Take courses in historic preservation, anthropology, sociology, or psychology

• Obtain research library and field research experience

• Practice your public speaking and writing skills

• Become an avid and inquisitive reader in a wide variety of areas

Books And Web Resources

BooksGreat jobs for history majors by Stephen E. Lambert

Top careers for history graduates published Checkmark Books

Web Resources

The American Historical Association http://www.historians.org/

The History Factory http://www.historyfactory.com/

Resources for more information

USC’s Department of Historyhttp://www.cas.sc.edu/hist/

Career Center Libraryhttp://www.sc.edu/career/Library/library.html

Related Websiteshttp://www.sc.edu/career/la/history.html

College of Arts and Sciences Career Development Programwww.sc.edu/career/cascdp/index.html

Career Center Contact Information

University of South Carolina Career Center6th Floor, H. William Close Building (BA Building)Columbia, SC 29208Phone: 803-777-7280On-call counseling without an appointment: M - F, 1:00 am - 4:00 pm (Summer and holiday hours may differ, please check the website at www.sc/edu/career)